The Democratic Republic of Congo’s foreign minister has reached out to the owners of football clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, urging them to reconsider their sponsorship agreements with Rwanda, which she describes as “blood-stained.” Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner’s appeal comes after a surge in violence and the deepening humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, exacerbated by the actions of Kigali-backed M23 rebels.
The football club sponsorship initiative, known as Visit Rwanda, has brought increased visibility to the nation, yet it has also drawn criticism for being a form of ‘sports-washing’ during a time of turmoil. A week ago, Goma – a large city in a region rich in resources such as gold, coltan and tin – fell under the control of M23, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents.
In her letter, Wagner implored the clubs to reflect on the ethical implications of their partnerships, suggesting that funds from Rwanda could be tainted by the exploitation of conflict minerals sourced from Congo. She said that it was time to cut ties with this “oppressive regime.”
Arsenal entered into a sponsorship agreement with Rwanda in 2019, followed by PSG in the same year, while Bayern Munich established a partnership for football development and tourism promotion in 2023.
The ongoing resource conflict in the DRC has persisted for three decades, involving over 120 armed groups, some supported by foreign powers. The toll has been devastating, with approximately 6-million Congolese lives lost, more than 7-million people displaced and countless women and girls enduring the horrors of sexual violence.